M.A. (Psychology) / The growing trend towards marital disruption and divorce over the past decade has already roused concern in the helping professions. Statistics indicate that, in the past 50 years in South Africa, divorce has become an increasing phenomenon. It appears that the most important causative factors in marital disruption are an absence of effective communication skills and poorly developed conflict handling skills. However, the communication and conflict handling skills, necessary for a successful marriage, can be acquired prior to marriage.

This exploratory study followed up ten married couples who attended a voluntary six session psycho-educational Marriage Preparation Programme under the auspices of the Jewish Family and Community Council - Transvaal. A literature review on marriage preparation, evaluation and enrichment provided the framework for the study and interview schedule. The study aimed to confirm and/or modify the existing Marriage Preparation Programme and to explore marital adjustment in detail. The findings indicate : * Couples had positive recall of the programme. * Attending a Marriage Preparation Programme was not necessarily helpful but had a positive influence on couples' commitment. * Respondents experienced difficulties in loosening ties with their families. * The establishment of a family unit was central to marital adjustment. * Role allocation was influenced by role models in respondents' families of origin. * Dealing with socio-economic issues were exceptionally difficult. * Changing roles and expectations of parenthood affected respondents' style of parenting. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

This exploratory study followed up ten married couples who attended a voluntary six session psycho-educational Marriage Preparation Programme under the auspices of the Jewish Family and Community Council - Transvaal. A literature review on marriage preparation, evaluation and enrichment provided the framework for the study and interview schedule. The study aimed to confirm and/or modify the existing Marriage Preparation Programme and to explore marital adjustment in detail. The findings indicate : * Couples had positive recall of the programme. * Attending a Marriage Preparation Programme was not necessarily helpful but had a positive influence on couples' commitment. * Respondents experienced difficulties in loosening ties with their families. * The establishment of a family unit was central to marital adjustment. * Role allocation was influenced by role models in respondents' families of origin. * Dealing with socio-economic issues were exceptionally difficult. * Changing roles and expectations of parenthood affected respondents' style of parenting. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science (Mental Health))

No abstract available. / Thesis (MPA)-University of Durban-Westville, 1988.

M.Ed. (Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

School guidance and counselling is a programme that is complementary to the education process and is seen as a support service for the pupil. However, owing to the apartheid policies of the South African government, all pupils did not have equal access to guidance services. In a post-apartheid South Africa it is anticipated that a unitary education system would emerge to provide equal access to education for all South African pupils and this implies that previous imbalances that existed would have to be addressed. In this study the present state of guidance and counselling services in Natal was investigated and policy options to redress past inequities and to make school guidance and counselling services a reality for all South African pupils, within the context of limited resources were explored.

M.A. / The divorce rate in South Africa has reached alarming proportions. In 1994 alone, 29 878 divorces were reported in South Africa, and a total of 38 367 children were traumatised by these divorces. Despite this, most people still marry, or want to marry. Marriage is one of the most important and meaningful relationships we can have as human beings. It enriches our lives and provides fulfillment and companionship. Many couples entering into the marital relationship are not aware of the demands of marriage, and especially of the demands of modern marriages where marital roles are new and different. Marriage enrichment is a movement to help couples.to respond to these demands. Enrichment programs teach partners interpersonal skills and build empathetic respect between individuals within the marital relationship. Although there are many marriage enrichment programs currently in use, there seems to be not one in South Africa that is based on the concepts of personality type differences. The aim of this study was to develop a marriage enrichment program based on the concepts of personality type, as indicated by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The focus was to educate couples in personality type differences, thereby creating self-awareness and awareness of others, and enabling them to better understand themselves and their spouses. The program was designed and developed and then trial-tested on two groups of volunteers consisting of two couples in each group. Feedback received yielded positive results, and the participants found the program to be useful and valuable in their own relationships.

This dissertation is a study about the faith action called "care" and covers the area of premarital pastoral work and marital pastoral work (marriage enrichment). Much has been written about the issue that marriage pastoral care and counselling is more than just dealing with troubled marriages or marital problems. The fact can't be ignored that pastoral care and counselling when it comes to married life have an important role to play in the sense of prevention and equipping. Premarital pastoral work in the form of marriage preparation and marital pastoral work in die form of marriage enrichment, focus on the prevention and equipping approach. The focus of this dissertation is prevention and equipping. In an effort to achieve this, this study looks at how pastors are doing premarital pastoral work with prospective marital couples, and marriage enrichment with married couples. This is done according to a twofold process. The first step focuses on the content of the programmes that the pastors present to prospective marital couples when they do premarital pastoral work. The second step in the study focuses on the needs of prospective marital couples. In this regard the focus is on the themes for marriage preparation that prospective marriage couples would like to see the pastor address when doing premarital pastoral work with them. Further this research deals with the preferences of prospective couples as to the timing, duration and presentation process with regard to marriage preparation sessions. In this study empirical research was undertaken to determine how pastors of the Apostolic Faith Mission in the Western Cape are doing premarital pastoral work and marriage enrichment, and how this is related to the needs of prospective marriage couples. The research problem was to determine whether pastors are addressing the needs of prospective couples when they are doing premarital pastoral work. The purpose of this study is to provide some guidelines which pastors can utilize when they are doing premarital pastoral work and marriage enrichment. / Practical Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)

This dissertation is a study about the faith action called "care" and covers the area of premarital pastoral work and marital pastoral work (marriage enrichment). Much has been written about the issue that marriage pastoral care and counselling is more than just dealing with troubled marriages or marital problems. The fact can't be ignored that pastoral care and counselling when it comes to married life have an important role to play in the sense of prevention and equipping. Premarital pastoral work in the form of marriage preparation and marital pastoral work in die form of marriage enrichment, focus on the prevention and equipping approach. The focus of this dissertation is prevention and equipping. In an effort to achieve this, this study looks at how pastors are doing premarital pastoral work with prospective marital couples, and marriage enrichment with married couples. This is done according to a twofold process. The first step focuses on the content of the programmes that the pastors present to prospective marital couples when they do premarital pastoral work. The second step in the study focuses on the needs of prospective marital couples. In this regard the focus is on the themes for marriage preparation that prospective marriage couples would like to see the pastor address when doing premarital pastoral work with them. Further this research deals with the preferences of prospective couples as to the timing, duration and presentation process with regard to marriage preparation sessions. In this study empirical research was undertaken to determine how pastors of the Apostolic Faith Mission in the Western Cape are doing premarital pastoral work and marriage enrichment, and how this is related to the needs of prospective marriage couples. The research problem was to determine whether pastors are addressing the needs of prospective couples when they are doing premarital pastoral work. The purpose of this study is to provide some guidelines which pastors can utilize when they are doing premarital pastoral work and marriage enrichment. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D. Th. (Practical Theology)